Hannah, a twelve-year-old girl navigates through the outbreak between nightmarish flashbacks and reality, while trying to stay alive. Throughout her journey, she meets many people who soon become family, but the lingering fear of losing it all... ag...
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The deafening silence filled the air as Hannah and Riley stumbled out the of the mall, finding themselves back where they started. Hannah gasped for air, trying to catch her breath from all the running while Riley leaned forward, her hand son her knees as she tried to catch her breath as well.
Hannah observed Riley with a mix of concern and confusion. They had finally managed to escape the chaos Hannah had created back in the food court with just a single bullet. The adrenaline was still coursing through Hannah's veins, but as she glanced at Riley, she realized something had drastically changed.
Riley's usually warm and vibrant personality had been replaced by a cold and distant demeanor. Her eyes, once sparkling with mischief, now held a vacant gaze. The events they had just survived had taken a toll on her, leaving her spirit bruised and battered. Hannah couldn't help but give in to the guilt she was feeling over what had happened. They'd lost John, because of her.
As Hannah's gaze shifted down towards Riley's arm, she noticed the smattering of red stains on her shirt sleeve. Her heart skipped a beat, fearing the worst. Before she could find the courage to voice her concerns, Riley abruptly rose to her feet, her movements quick and purposeful.
"We have to leave," Riley stated, her voice void of emotion. There was an underlying urgency that sent shivers down Hannah's spine. In that moment, Hannah knew, though she couldn't bring herself to admit the truth.
"Wait, why don't we take a minute okay? We need to catch our breaths.-" Hannah began.
"Do you want those runners to catch up and finish us off for good?" Riley asked, scoffing at Hannah's suggestion impatiently as she paced around the pavement, trying to calm herself down.
"Riley we just los-" Hannah sighed, trying to reason with the girl who clearly needed to take a second to process things. But Riley had others plan, feeling her time quickly diminishing, like a clock counting down to zero. She had no time to mourn, not anymore.
Not if she wanted to get Hannah somewhere safe before it was too late.
"Don't... Don't even say his name. Let's just find a shelter or something, somewhere safe. Then we go our separate ways." Riley explained, her tone harsh as she refused to look her best friend in the eye, a mixture of fear and guilt taking over her. They should have never gone into that mall, like Hannah had warned her...
Conflicting emotions wrestled within Hannah as she tried to comprehend the coldness in Riley's words. She realized that they had witnessed horrors beyond imagination. The constant danger had taken a toll on Riley, hardening her once-gentle heart as a means of self-preservation. John's death seemed to be the tipping point for the girl who no longer resembled her best friend.
Hannah's eyes fell on the bloodstains once again, and her concern peaked. "Riley, what's happened?" she gently inquired, her tone laced with genuine worry.
